Of Separation and Devotion
by PurpleElm23723
Summary: Pink feathers, sunny auras and knowledgeable toddlers. What do these have to do with the recent murders in the area? Sam Winchester is trying to put the pieces together, but will he be able to connect the dots in time to save the woman who was seemingly made for him?
1. Chapter 1

Hey there folks! Starting yet another one before finishing all of the others, but hey, this plot bunny wanted out. Just a few tidbits before we begin. 1. Remember our little cupid/cherub friend that told Sam and Dean their parents were a match made in heaven? He's making another appearance! Awesome right?! lol XD 2. This may seem a little OOC, but remember when I said that the cherub guy was back? Remember how his 'victims' forgot about almost everything else and moved a bit faster than what was normal? Yeah, that happens here, so no flames, you've been warned! 3. The rating is subject to change as the story unfolds, but for now, I'm giving it a T just to be on the safe side. Now that all of that is taken care of, thanks for clicking on this story! Happy reading! -Veronique

* * *

Sam Winchester walked into the library expecting what he always did: upwards of six hours of doing nothing but research. What he didn't expect, was to run head on into a teetering pile of books.

Sam rubbed his head as someone apologized profusely, over and over. He then realized, that not only was he covered in fallen books, there was another, softer weight on his stomach and legs. It dawned on him that the books he'd run into had to have been carried by someone, so it made sense that that someone had fallen on top of him. He blinked and looked up, only to see a young woman trying to disentangle her dress from his legs.

Sam blushed and tried to help, but ended up just knocking heads with the poor girl. "I'm so sorry!" he said, rubbing his head again. The girl smiled up at him, blushing slightly and rubbing her own head.

"It's alright. I should have watched where I was going." She blushed again and looked away, trying once again to stand, only to have her dress catch under her toe. Sam, who was half standing by now, caught her by the elbows and ended up staring into the greenest eyes he had ever seen. He blushed and helped her to her feet. They stood that way for a moment before the girl looked away and cleared her throat.

"I'm not usually so clumsy," she said. "That's the third time this week!" She seemed genuinely distressed, but she bent over and began to pick up the fallen books from the floor. Sam bent over to help her, careful not to knock his head a third time. He handed her the books, reading titles from all sorts of genres. He internally wondered whether she worked here, or if she was reading all of them.

When he handed her the last book, she'd formed two piles, instead of one, and was carrying them both with ease, a slight smile of thanks gracing her lips. "Thank you so much for helping me," she said, blushing slightly. "I'm surprised the library hasn't fired me yet." She gave a small laugh and Sam felt his stomach do a flip.

He was surprised at himself. This girl wasn't like the girls he normally liked, or what Dean liked for that matter. She was plain, with mouse brown hair that was coming loose from her braid, wearing a peach colored dress with pink gladiolus flowers on the side and a rose colored cardigan. She stood only to his shoulder and seemed incredibly thin, even for one so small. She looked far too young to be a librarian, but Sam had seen worse things in his life.

He smiled at her, and took one of the stacks of books from her arms. "Where would you like these?"

The girl adjusted the books in her arms and said, flicking her head to the right, "this way." She then turned in that direction and began walking between the shelves. Sam watched her back as he followed her, admiring the way she swayed as she walked. It wasn't anything sexual, it just seemed as if she was skating rather than walking. Sam stopped when he saw her place her pile of books onto an empty table, and placed his own right next to it.

The girl smiled up at him, and said, "Thanks again, and if there is anything you need help finding, just ask." Then she took a few of the books and began to walk away towards one of the shelves.

Suddenly, Sam found his manners and called softly, "I never got your name."

The girl turned and blushed. "Linette... Linette McGuffrey." She smiled, "and you are?"

Sam gave a shy grin, "Sam Winchester." The girl smiled brighter and then walked away, leaving Sam's heart pumping a little faster and his stomach in knots. He'd never felt this sort of attraction to anyone, not even Jessica. With every other girl, it was mostly a primal, "need to procreate" kind of attraction. He'd never felt so light headed before.

Sam found a table where he could watch Linette work without being seen, and pulled out his laptop and his phone. Setting his phone aside, he flipped open the laptop and powered it up, his mind still on the clumsy girl putting away books. Letting his eyes wander, he watched as she stood on her tip-toes to gently push a book into place on the second highest shelf. Her slender fingers lightly brushed the spine, and Sam thought he saw a small smile on her face as she did so.

She then veritably twirled to get the next few books, and Sam got the immediate impression that she was a dancer, or at least wanted to be. Then, as if to prove his theory, Linette began to waltz between the shelves, placing the books into their correct places with ease and never once missing a beat in her silent dance. Sam was just beginning to imagine her on a dance floor when she suddenly bumped into a man and sprawled on the floor.

The man hadn't moved an inch from the impact, but he turned around and looked down at her with a strange expression on his face. Sam was immediately on high alert, and quietly put his stuff back into his bag, never once taking his eyes off of the pair. The man had helped her up and handed Linette the books she had dropped. To Sam's disgust, Linette was watching the man with awe, her mouth hanging open slightly. Then the man took her hand and bent over it, giving Linette's knuckles the lightest kiss.

Sam felt something hot flood his stomach when he saw a blush creep across the back of Linette's neck. He shook his head slightly, confused as to what he was feeling, and walked towards Linette, who was now alone. He cleared his throat and made her jump. Linette turned to him and brushed her palm against her dress. She was still blushing slightly, but she smiled up at Sam. "Hello again," she said. "Find everything you need?"

Sam nodded, "I saw you fall over, and wondered if you were ok."

Linette blushed again. "Oh, I'm fine," she said, setting the last book back on the shelf. "But thank you for being so concerned." She smiled up at him, making the butterflies return to his stomach. "I usually just get mean looks from those I run into."

Sam felt his throat clench a little at the sad expression on Linette's face, but the sensation lifted when she smiled. Sam smiled as well and then looked down at his watch. He knew Dean was out gathering information for their latest case, but he also knew that he wouldn't be home until the next morning. Sam cleared his throat and asked, "What time do you get off? I was hoping you'd join me for coffee."

Linette's mouth formed a surprised 'o' and she blushed. "S-sure," she said, pulling out a tiny watch from a hidden pocket on her dress. "It looks like I get off in an hour." She began to walk away but then turned to look at him. "Wait for me at the cafe on the corner of Lindale and West." Linette grinned and walked away. Sam grinned and looked at his feet.

Strolling out of the library, he felt as though he was walking on air. Suddenly his phone rang and he read the caller-id. "Dean. What's up?"

"I got a statement from that hot police chick, as well as her number, and I also got the story from the old guy that supposedly saw it and- Sam are you even listening?"

Sam had been humming to himself, looking up at the clouds and thinking of Linette when Dean's voice brought him back to the present. "Yeah, sorry, I'm listening."

"If you were listening then what was the last thing I said before I called your name?"

Sam sighed. He heard Dean scoff, "of course you weren't listening... What's her name?"

Sam blanched. "What?"

"What's her name? The girl you were thinking about."

"I'm not thinking about a girl."

"Suuurrrre, but you'd only fail to pay attention if you'd found something on the case or if it was some girl. Now tell me, what's her name?"

Sam sighed in defeat. "Her name's Linette."

"Linette? Sounds kinda like a French maid..." Sam could almost see his brother's smirk. "What does she look like?"

"Not your type."

"Not my- Sam, you obviously haven't realized from the vast array of women I've slept with, that I don't have a type."

"Yeah, you do. You always buy the same exact porno mags."

"Bitch."

"Jerk." Sam sighed. "She's not usually what I'd find attractive either."

"How so? Does she have a fake leg?" Dean's smirk could be heard in his voice, making Sam scowl.

"No. She's just sort of plain, but in a good way."

"Plain? Like generic, run of the mill kind of plain?"

"No, like the middle ground between drop-dead gorgeous and overweight nerdy chick."

Dean was silent for a moment. "Huh." Sam could almost feel Dean's smile. "So she's that kind of plain, huh? Well, are you going to go out with her? Did you get her number?"

"No, I didn't get her number, but I am meeting her for coffee, in about forty-five minutes."

"Way to go Sammy-boy! Well, I'll let you have fun on your date, while I give that hot cop a ring. Good luck with the research." Dean hung up and Sam shook his head. Leave it to Dean to get laid during every case. Sam huffed and slid his phone into his pocket.


	2. Chapter 2

Finding the cafe was easy. Now all Sam had to do was wait. In the meantime, he pulled out a book of monsters and tried to find what it was that had been attacking people. Soon, he heard the little bell above the door ring, and he looked up, only to see Linette walking towards him. Sam smiled at her and stood up to hold out her seat for her. She smiled gratefully up at him and placed her purse on the floor next to the wall. Sam had picked a couple's table near the back, so they'd have a little more privacy.

Linette was the first to speak. "To be quite honest, I didn't know if you'd actually be here when I came." She had a sad smile on her face. "I've never been asked out for coffee before, I thought it was almost too good to be true."

Sam frowned. "Why is that?"

Linette looked down at her hands. "Most guys don't go after a girl like me. Especially not guys that look like you." She blushed and brushed a lock of hair behind her ear.

Sam was taken a little aback. She was pretty, and seemed rather smart, so he was confused as to why no one would ever want to be with her. "What? Really? I'd have thought guys would be lining up down the block for a chance with you." He smiled at her.

Linette blushed, her smile small and shy, making Sam's stomach flip. "No... they all run away when I tell them-" She blushed and looked scared. She started shaking her head, "No. No, that's-" She began to get up but Sam caught her hand.

"I promise I won't run, whatever it is." Sam gave her what he hoped was a reassuring smile. She looked into his eyes and Sam felt as if he may drown in hers. She then blinked, glancing out the window before returning to her seat.

"Y-you promise you won't run?" Linette's gaze was pleading.

Sam's heart wouldn't let him do anything but promise. He sighed, a smile on his face. "I promise, I won't run. Nothing you could say would make me want to run away."

Linette sighed, only half of the worry draining from her face. "Well, I suppose we'll see." She took a deep breath and a small scowl darkened her face. "I-I am a single mother." She held her breath and waited for a moment, her eyes screwed shut. Sam almost laughed at her open doubt of his promise, for she was clearly listening for his retreating footsteps. Slowly she opened her eyes, seemingly perplexed that he was still sitting there.

Sam smiled softly at her. "I can see now why some guys might run, my brother included, but there is nothing wrong with being a single mother," he said, putting his hand on top of hers. Linette looked at him and then sighed, her eyelids fluttering for a moment.

"Actually, I lied..." Linette closed her eyes again, pausing a moment before opening them. "He's not really mine, I just took him in when his parents died." She gazed up at Sam, who startled her by smiling.

"What's his name?" Sam was getting more and more intrigued by the minute.

"Oliver. He's almost three." She looked at her watch and jumped out of her seat. "I'm so sorry! I completely forgot I had to pick him up from daycare! Oh, I'm so sorry!" She put a hand to her forehead and turned to go.

"Can I walk you there?" Sam got out of his seat as well and stood beside her. Linette seemed to deliberate for a moment before nodding her head and giving him a small smile.

"Sure, you can walk me there, but you have to promise to walk me home as well!"

"Deal." Sam grinned, his smile only widening when he saw her blush. His heart fluttered at the thought of walking her not only to her newest destination, but all the way to her home as well. His inner self was leaping for joy as they walked out of the cafe. He waited for Linette to finish digging in her purse for her keys before offering her his arm.

Blushing yet again, Linette dropped her keys into the hidden pocket of her dress before slipping her arm into Sam's. "So what made you want to walk me all this way," she said, giving him a shy smile.

Sam thought for a moment before answering, "I saw you and wanted nothing more than to see you smile again." He scuffed his feet along the sidewalk. "Hehe, I've never felt this way before, so you're not the only one who's a little nervous."

"What do you mean, 'never felt this way before'?" She adjusted her dress as she avoided stepping on a crack in the sidewalk.

Sam thought for a moment, wondering if she was a romantic at heart. He decided to go with his gut and replied, "When I saw you smile for the first time, I felt the entire world fall away. I wanted nothing more than to see you smile again, and so I did the only thing that seemed natural." Sam grinned down at her. "I asked you out for coffee."

By this time, Linette was flushing so deeply, her blush had reached her collarbone. "You can't seriously mean that... We've only- we've only just met!" She stopped just before another crack in the sidewalk, her frown betraying her lack of self-confidence. Sam sighed.

"I do mean it." He tilted her face up to his, a kind smile on his face. "I never believed in love at first sight before now, but I know for a fact that's what this feeling is. I loved you from the moment I saw you sprawled across my lap. The more I talk with you, the more I want to spend the rest of my life with you, even if you don't feel the same." Sam shook his head, "I have never said anything like that to anyone, ever, but I know what I'm feeling is pure and true. I only hope you feel the same."

Sam dropped her chin and began to turn away, only to have her swing him back around with surprising strength. Before he could even blink, she tossed her arms around his neck and pressed her lips to his in the gentlest kiss he'd ever received. He wrapped his arms lightly around her waist and spun her around, not once separating his lips from hers. When he finally put Linette down, he grinned at her, his heart swelling unimaginably.

Her own face was lightly flushed, a content smile gracing her lips. "I thought it was just me," she said, twiddling her fingers. "I've never had someone feel the same way before."

Sam tilted her chin back up to face him. "I will never leave you, not unless you ask me to. Believe me, that's the hardest thing I've ever had to say, with the past I have, but it's the truth. You aren't just another notch in the headboard for me. I want this to last forever."

Linette looked close to tears, but Sam could tell she was happy. "Now, let's keep going. There's someone I'm looking forward to being introduced to." Sam took her hand and playfully tugged her along.

Linette shook her head at him, smiling every time he stopped to steal a chaste kiss. Soon enough, Linette was stealing kisses of her own and only too soon, they arrived in front of a small two story building. Linette bade Sam wait outside, and she disappeared inside. Not three minutes later, she stepped out, carrying a small child in her arms.

Setting the child down on the sidewalk, she smiled at Sam and said, "This is Oliver." She lightly jiggled the tiny fist in her hand, looking down at the boy. Linette smiled and pointed to Sam. "Oliver, this is Sam."

Sam crouched down a little ways from the boy and held out his hand. The boy holding Linette's hand was absolutely adorable. He was wearing a blue and green striped shirt and jean shorts, accompanied by a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles sweatshirt and black and white canvas sneakers with the laces untied. His light brown hair was slightly mussed on one side, as if he'd been sleeping and his left thumb never left his mouth.

Oliver's brown eyes never left Sam's face as he roved his facial features. They all waited for a response when suddenly Oliver looked up at Linette. He removed his thumb and said, "Momma?"

"Yes, sweet pea?" Linette smiled down at the small boy. Sam had never seen a more beautiful sight.

"He good." Linette looked startled for a moment before smiling again. She looked over at Sam. "Yeah, sweetheart... He good." Sam felt his heart flutter like never before and he positively beamed when Oliver let go of Linette and walked over to him. The little boy put his thumb back into his mouth and watched Sam's face as he stepped closer.

Sam put out his hand and Oliver looked at it before placing his own palm against it. Sam marveled at how tiny Oliver's fingers were compared to his, and he vowed to see more hands like that in the coming years. Oliver ran his hand over Sam's pointer finger, no doubt feeling the callouses that came with the kind of work he did. Suddenly Sam found himself looking into Oliver's eyes before the boy gently wrapped his tiny arms around Sam's neck.

Sam looked up at Linette with a pleasantly shocked smile. She grinned back at him and bade him stand. As he stood, he felt Oliver's head touch his shoulder and his hand stop to rest over his heart. Sam had never felt so moved in his entire life. He'd never thought he'd live long enough to have a family and here one stood, almost ready made and seemingly created just for him. He grinned and took Linette's hand, holding Oliver steady in his other arm.

Linette smiled up at him, "Oliver has never taken to anyone so quickly before. You must be pretty special for him to like you so much." Sam looked down and couldn't help but quirk his lips at her teasing smile.

"Well, I wouldn't say I'm special... Maybe he just sensed how happy you make me. Kids seem to be more in tune to that sort of thing than we adults."

Linette giggled, "Or he sensed how happy we make each other." She lightly jumped to kiss Sam's cheek before continuing their journey.

Across the street, there was a plump man sitting in the shadows. He grinned to himself at the sight of the small group walking away from him, considering what had happened, a job well done. Throwing the three another smiling glance, he suddenly disappeared. A small, pink feather fluttered to the ground, the only evidence that he had ever been there.


	3. Chapter 3

Dean silently closed the apartment door behind him, and gently leaned against it. He ran a hand over his face and sighed. 'Another notch in the headboard,' he thought to himself, his smile sad. He'd tried the whole "apple pie life" thing with Ben and Lisa, but it just hadn't worked; he'd ended up doing what he did best almost immediately after Sam appeared on his doorstep. Slicing throats may be what he was good at, but a tiny piece of his heart still longed for family and stability.

Shaking his head at himself, Dean climbed into the Impala and drove to the motel he was sharing with Sam. Dean's thoughts wandered to Sam and his "little French girl" as he'd taken to calling Linette. He gave a tiny smile and hoped beyond hope that if he couldn't get out of this monotonous cycle of killing, that Sam could. Turning up the radio, He sent a silent prayer to whoever was listening, that Sam would find peace and happiness in this girl he had so soon become fond of.

Ten minutes later, Dean pulled into his motel parking space, humming the last bars of Whitesnake's "Here I Go Again." He unlocked the door and kicked it open, surprised to find that Sam wasn't anywhere to be seen. He looked at his watch. "It's really only five PM? Wow…" Dean was slightly startled to realize that he'd had sex in the middle of the day, but hey, the hot cop said she had to work that night, so he'd taken advantage of the time he'd been given. He grinned at the memory of her long legs wrapped around his waist.

Still humming, he pulled out his cell phone and dialed Sam's number. Bobbing his head to the tune in his head, he heard the phone ring once, twice and then Sam answering the call.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Sammy! How's it going?"

"Good, I'm just walking Linette and Oliver home."

"Oliver?"

"Linette's adopted son, he's really cute!"

"Uhh… Alright then, what time do you expect to be back here? I want to find out what this thing is."

"I should be there in about twenty minutes. Linette only lives a couple of blocks from the motel."

"Awesome. I'll see you in a bit." Dean hung up the phone and turned on the television. Grinning at the opening theme song for Casa Erotica, he grabbed a beer from the miniature fridge and sat on the couch.

Sam walked in almost exactly twenty minutes later, just like he'd said, only to find Dean passed out on the couch, beer in hand. Chuckling to himself, he took the beer from Dean's hand and shook his shoulder. Dean sat up with a small start but settled back into the couch when he realized it was his brother shaking him awake.

Sighing, Dean ran a hand over his face as Sam sat at the small kitchen table, taking out his laptop and cell phone. "So you said you wanted to find out what this thing is right?"

"Yeah." Dean stood and stretched.

"I think I may have a found a connection." Sam typed something into his laptop and sat up straighter. "I was talking to Linette earlier and she said she knew one of the victims. She said that the woman and her boyfriend had gotten married in secret about two months ago, after having been in a relationship for only three months."

"Three months?"

"Yeah."

"And then they got hitched?"

"Yep."

"That's fast."

"I know, right?" Sam clicked a few times. "She also said that there were a lot of young couples springing up around town, also not waiting very long before making a life-time commitment."

"Huh… so how are they dying again?"

"Uh… It says here, and Linette's story confirmed this, that the couple usually went on their honeymoon for a few days, but then were found dead in their homes the day they were to come back. It also says that the husbands appeared to have been tortured before their throats were slit, though the wives were reportedly unharmed. The doctors say their hearts seemed to just stop."

"They just stopped? They didn't have a heart attack or anything?"

"Nope. They just stopped. Linette said that one of the elderly ladies who frequents the library had a theory of her own."

"A gossipy old lady with a conspiracy theory? What's new?" Dean popped the top off of another beer.

Sam cracked a smile. "The old lady seems to think the wives died of broken hearts."

Dean paused. "So-…So you mean the wives died because their husbands did?" Dean scowled. "What a bunch of bull-shit."

"It's been known to happen, but not on this scale, and it's usually the other way around."

"So these women are getting so attached to these men that they kill them before dying of a broken heart?"

"The wives don't kill their husbands, something else does. The wives just have a strong enough bond with their spouses that they literally can't live without them."

"So we have to find what's killing the husbands?"

"Yeah."

"Ok. What are we thinking? Cursed object? Witch?"

"Both of those are possible, but there could be something else as well."

"Alright, well you do some more digging, and I'll be over here."

Sam sighed as Dean returned to his spot on the couch. Shaking his head, he looked up legends behind dying of a broken heart. Fifteen minutes and no lore later, Sam rubbed at his eyes when Dean suddenly piped up.

"How was your date with that little French girl?"

Sam blushed. "You mean Linette?"

"Who else would I be talking about?"

Sam grinned, "It was great! I had an awesome time!"

"So… She any good?" Dean winked.

Scowling, Sam scoffed, "Not everyone has sex on the first date, Dean!" He shook his head. "Besides, Linette isn't that kind of girl." Blushing, he continued. "She's sweet, clever, charming, kind, and great with kids and she's the most beautiful girl I've ever seen."

Dean sat up straight. "Now hang on one second. Earlier this afternoon, you said she was plain and now she's the most beautiful girl you've ever seen?" Standing he pointed an accusing finger at Sam. "You had better not get hitched this week, because I'm not having you die on me again!"

Sam blanched. "You think that I-?" His eyes widened. "Oh, shit…"

"'Oh, shit' is right! Have you come into any contact with any of the victims or their belongings, or any of their families?"

"No, Dean, we just got here yesterday."

"Well, from now on, I'm keeping an eye on you, if not two and if you want to see the French girl again, I'm going to have to check her and you'll have to have your tea parties here."

Sam sighed. "Alright, fine, you're right. I'll give her a call. But if we check her, she's going to have to know why."

"Sam , you know we can't tell anyone anything unless they've already seen it!"

"Just hear me out! She's more open to this sort of stuff than you might think, and once you meet her, you'll know why. But please, she trusts me and I really don't want to break her trust by lying to her."

Dean gave his brother a once over before nodding. Sam seemed to genuinely like this girl and if he wanted to tell her the truth, well, at least it wasn't his ass getting dumped. "Fine. You can tell her, but don't come crying to me when she leaves you." He drained his beer and grabbed his coat. "Call your French girl, we're making a house call."


	4. Chapter 4

I'm really sorry, but this chapter is pretty much just filler. I promise there is a point, so please just bear with me! Thanks so much for reading! -Veronique

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Sam hung up the phone as he slid into the Impala. "Well, she's glad I called, she was just about to start dinner. She wants us to meet her and Oliver at the grocer two blocks down from her house."

"Lead the way." Dean bobbed his head to the music bubbling from the radio as Sam directed him to a parking spot across the street from a tiny "mom and pop" grocery store. He watched the door to the shop open and close until a young woman stepped out, holding a single brown paper bag in one hand and the tiny hand of a young boy in the other.

Sam opened the passenger door and stood just outside it, waving over to the girl. "Linette!" Dean watched a grin break over the girl's face, and instantly his heart felt a little brighter. Sam had amazing taste. She was short and petite, with dark hair, light skin and a brilliant smile. Dean immediately approved.

He watched as Sam crossed the street to take the boy into his arms and grinned when Sam swung him up onto his shoulders. Dean knew that Sam, however afraid of having kids he was, was going to be a great dad. A small feeling of jealousy settled in Dean's stomach at the picture his brother and the French girl made. Pushing the little green monster to the back of his mind, he smiled as the girl helped the little boy into the car, saying hello.

Linette smiled at him and introduced herself, holding out her hand. "Linette McGuffrey."

Dean shook her hand, a little surprised by the small size and softness. "Dean Winchester."

"It's nice to meet you! I'm so glad you were able to pick us up!"

"It's no problem; any friend of Sam's is a friend of mine." Dean gave Sam a look that said to keep quiet. They both knew that that was hardly the case. "So… Now to your place?"

"Yes! It's just two blocks down and to the left; the first house on the right."

"Awesome… So, Linette, how did you meet Sam?"

Linette and Sam both blushed and Dean grinned. Teasing them was going to be too easy. Linette spoke first. "I, quite literally, ran into him while working at the library. I was carrying way to many books and he helped me pick them up and put them away." She looked at Sam who blushed, a happy half smile on his lips.

"So Sammy-boy came to the rescue, huh? Well ain't that cute! I hear he walked you home too."

"Yes, it was wonderful of him! We picked up Oliver from daycare and then had a cup of coffee and then he left. I wasn't planning on seeing him again until tomorrow, but I was pleasantly surprised when he asked if you both could come over." She grinned into the rear-view mirror and Dean smirked.

"Well, I'm glad you're ok with it! Having a man you just met and his stranger of a brother over isn't something most young women would do."

"I trust Sam, almost more than I trusted my older sister, God rest her soul, and he trusts you, so I feel I have nothing to fear." Linette looked down at her lap. "Oh, poor thing! Out like a light!"

Sam looked over his shoulder and into the back seat, grinning at what he saw. "Poor guy's tuckered out!" Dean assumed they were talking about the near silent little boy he'd seen climb into his car with Linette. He hadn't gotten a good look at the kid, but he assumed he'd see him later.

Dean pulled up in front of a Victorian style house that looked a little out of place on the corner of a street full of apartment buildings. It was a sage green color with wine colored trim and shutters. There were overflowing flower boxes on every window sill and moss growing on one side of the large porch. A tree stood in the front yard, a wood swing hanging from a large branch by two thin ropes. Dean made a 'not bad' face and got out of the car. He closed his door and opened the back for Linette to climb out.

Linette smiled her thanks and then peered back into the car. "Oh, no, he's still asleep!"

Dean looked at the little boy sleeping on the leather seat and shrugged. "I'll get him."

"Really? Are you sure?" Linette looked from the boy to Dean. Dean grinned.

"I got him." Dean reached into the back and gently tugged the toddler into his arms. He was a little heavier than Dean was expecting, but then again, he'd never taken care of a toddler before. He placed the boy's head on his shoulder and held one arm under his tiny bottom. Linette shut the door for him and led Dean and Sam around the house to a set of vine covered stairs that led to the second floor.

Linette unlocked the door and showed them inside, turning on a few lights as she entered. Sam and Dean followed her to a small combined kitchen and dining room and Sam set the paper bag onto the counter. Linette turned to Dean, holding out her arms and Dean carefully handed her the boy. She hefted him up and disappeared with him into a room down the hall.

Dean looked around as Sam sat at the table, searching his surroundings for anything malevolent. The cabinets were made of wood painted a sky blue and the counter-tops were white granite. The walls were a light yellow and the appliances were all stainless steel. The window sill was covered in several small potted plants and two others hung from small hooks on either side of the window frame. Various bottles and jars littered the counters, all of different sizes, shapes and colors.

The table was a marvel in itself. It was painted the same color as the cabinets but there were hundreds of symbols, words and names carved into the legs and surface. Scuff marks had worn away at places in the surface and the legs, betraying the yellowish color of the wood underneath. It would have looked tacky in any other home, but here it added a certain charm. All in all, the kitchen didn't seem to be anything but simplistic and quaint.

Linette returned with a smile on her face. "Shall I start dinner?"


	5. Chapter 5

Sorry this chapter is so short, but I couldn't find a better place to stop. Hopefully I'll have the next chapter up soon, it's almost done! Also, I noticed that last chapter I said that Dean has never taken care of a toddler before. That's a lie. He has. He took care of Sam at that age. What I meant was that it'd been ages since he'd taken care of a toddler. Yeah. That sounds better lol XD Thanks for keeping up with this story, and a shout-out to all four of you who have actually reviewed! ;) Thanks again, and happy reading! -Veronique

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Sam and Dean grinned at the mention of dinner. Linette pushed past them and began emptying the paper bag. At some point, she'd taken off her shoes and she was now floating around the kitchen on the tips of her bare toes. She opened the refrigerator and asked if they wanted anything to drink, apologizing for not having any beer on hand. Linette peered around the door, "but I do have lemonade and iced tea."

Sam asked for a glass of lemonade and Dean did the same. Linette smiled and pulled out a large pitcher. She poured them both a tall glass and dropped a small slice of fresh lemon into each. "I hope it's not too sweet." Linette gave a look of concern, but Sam grinned.

"It's not as sweet as you," he said. Linette blushed.

Dean looked at his brother with undisguised horror. He never thought his brother, in a million years, would say something so disgustingly cheesy. Sam shot Dean an innocently confused look. Dean shook his head and asked, "Where's your bathroom?"

Startled, Linette pointed to the hall. "Last door on your left."

"Thanks." Dean stood and followed her directions, but instead of going straight to the bathroom, he decided to take a few detours. He made sure neither Sam nor Linette could see him and looked into the first open door on the left. It appeared to be a sort of laboratory with various bottles and jars full of plant matter and liquids and some with what seemed to be lotion. Not sensing anything too out of place, considering, he left and moved on to the next room.

The next door was closed, but a quick peek inside told him it was Oliver's room. Moving on again, he saw what he assumed was Linette's room, with light green walls and a white painted bedroom set. A small vanity sat against one wall where a set of makeup brushes and tubes of lipsticks sat. He left and walked into the bathroom, closing the door behind him.

On the sink there were bottles and jars like the ones in the "laboratory" as he'd dubbed the first room. Dean picked up a tall pink bottle and lifted it to his nose. It smelled like lavender and what he assumed was some citrus fruit. The next thing he looked at was a little blue jar that appeared to have green clay in it. Sniffing it told him it was definitely clay, but it also smelled of roses and sandalwood. Dean replaced the cap and opened the cabinet above the sink.

In it were a few bottles of headache medicine, cough medicine for children, a thermometer and two toothbrushes, one that was small and green and one that was purple. Dean closed the cabinet and looked behind the flowery shower curtain and chuckled to himself. "This chick _really_ likes flowers!" Seeing nothing besides two sets of shampoo and conditioner, one for kids and one for adults, he flushed the toilet and ran the sink, even though he hadn't used either. He didn't want it to seem like he'd been sneaking around. (A/N- Wink, wink lol)

Running a hand through his hair, Dean opened the door, only to find a tiny boy standing outside of it. The boy was only about as tall as his thigh, with short, light brown hair and brown eyes. He had his left thumb in his mouth and a bored expression on his face. Dean looked out the door to see if Linette was anywhere nearby. Not seeing anyone else in the hall, he returned his gaze to the child standing in front of him. Dean slowly knelt down in front of him and said, "Oliver, right?"

The boy stared and Dean got the impression he was mentally rolling his eyes. "Ok… Um, do you need to use the bathroom?" Dean stood and moved out of the way. Oliver just stood there silently. Dean ran a hand through his hair. "Geez, kid, you're starting to freak me out a little bit… Do you want to go see your mom?"

Oliver took a step back and held up his hand for Dean to take. "I'll take that as a yes." Dean took the boy's tiny hand in his own and began to walk towards the kitchen. Once there, Dean saw Sam and Linette at the counter, working together and around each other like they'd been doing it for years. Dean fought the urge to make a teasing comment and cleared his throat.

Linette and Sam both turned around but Sam spoke first. "There you are."

Linette laughed, "I was wondering where you'd wandered off to." Suddenly, the little boy who's hand he was holding removed his thumb from his mouth with a pop.

"Mommy." Linette smiled and knelt before the little boy.

"Hey there, sweet-pea! I see you made a friend." Linette smiled up at Dean and he fought down a blush, a function he'd almost forgot he had.

"Mommy, you're glowing."

"Glowing?" Dean and Sam exchanged a look, and Linette saw the realization on their faces. She stood and went to the fridge. She pulled out a sippy-cup filled with what appeared to be juice and handed it to the little boy. "Here sweetie. How about you go and draw Mommy a picture."

Oliver nodded obediently and started to walk away but then he turned and looked at Sam. "For Sam too?" Linette grinned and nodded and Oliver tottered into what Dean assumed to be a small sitting room. Linette's expression immediately turned serious and she pointed to the table.

"What's going on?"

"Linette-"

"Sam Winchester, I want to know what it is you are doing in this town and I want to know if it is going to endanger myself or my child in any way. You are going to sit down and tell me the God's honest truth or so help me I will-" Linette took a deep breath. "You are going to tell me everything about you and I want you to leave nothing out. I want to know what exactly I'm getting into by letting you and your brother into my life."


	6. Chapter 6

Sam and Dean exchanged looks, Sam's face pleading for assistance and Dean's telling him "I told you so."

Sam sighed and sat down at the table, facing Linette. Dean followed suit, motioning for Linette to take a seat as well. "You'll want to sit down for this, it might take a while." Linette sat and folded her hands in her lap.

Sam took a deep breath and began. "We are hunters." Linette opened her mouth but Sam said, "Before you say anything, we don't hunt animals… we hunt monsters. I know you probably think we're crazy, trust me, I would too, but hear us out." Sam sighed. "We grew up hunting supernatural creatures, stuff like werewolves and demons and ghosts and all manner of unpleasant things that go bump in the night. That's why we're here; we are almost positive that one has made a temporary home here and is causing all of those couples to die."

"Hold on just a second… You mean monsters and demons and things actually exist?"

"Yes."

"Oh."

Dean was floored. "Oh?! You mean you believe us just like that?"

Linette gave him an incredulous look. "Of course. It's more believable than some things. Besides, I always had a feeling humans weren't the only things out there, though aliens are complete and utter crap." Dean sat back in his seat, satisfied and still slightly surprised. "Moving on?"

Sam smiled at her before he continued. "So we think that something is killing those couples, the only thing is, we don't know what."

"So something killed Maggie and Greg? Or at least caused their deaths to occur?"

"That's the theory."

"Ok, so you're trying to find it so you can kill it, but what does that have to do with me? Also, Oliver tends to say weird things, so I don't know why my 'glowing' would have given you anything to worry about."

"That's what we thought, but this may be a clue as to what it is. This may seem a bit far-fetched, but we think that there was something about those couples to set them apart from any other couple."

"You mean they all wore the same cologne or drank the same coffee like some sort of connecting feature that made this thing just like any other serial killer?" Linette looked incredulous.

Dean chuckled. "She's a sharp one, I like her." He turned to Linette, now serious. "Yeah, but this defining feature is something that appeals to the supernatural. Sometimes it's people who can predict the future, or people who have money and power, or a healthy liver. It could be anything, but we have a hunch it's whatever is making these couples get hitched sooner rather than later."

"I see, so whatever is causing these couples to fall in love so fast, is attracting this thing to them?"

"Yes. Only problem is, we don't know what it is that is causing this whole thing to begin with."

"So now we're looking for two monsters?"

"…. Shit, are we?" Dean looked over at Sam who was looking at Linette with awe.

"I don't think so." Sam turned to Dean. "You remember when Cass helped us on that case where the couples were killing each other, and they had that mark on their hearts?"

"Yeah… Wait…"

"What if this is the same type of thing, only it's a different mark?" Sam was getting excited now. "What if that's the glowing that Oliver talked about? Maybe instead of the scar on their hearts, it's a glow that only pure souls, such as children, can see?"

Dean's face was one of disgust, "does that mean we have to summon Cupid?"

Sam grimaced. "Unfortunately maybe."

"Wait, Cupid?" Linette looked from Sam to Dean.

"Yep, and he's a little eccentric." Sam fidgeted in his seat.

Dean scoffed. "That's putting it mildly."

"I have another question." Linette twiddled her thumbs. "If these couples have been marked by Cupid, does that mean I've been marked as well?"

"Oh, don't worry, Sam's been marked too!" Dean shot her an almost mocking smile.

Linette frowned. "Does that mean that our-… what Sam and I have is fake?"

Sam's hand shot forward and rested over Linette's. "Of course not, it just means that we fell harder and faster than we otherwise would have. We were obviously meant to be together, but it just so happens that Cupid was there to give us a little push." Sam smiled down at her and Linette let loose the smallest of smiles.

Dean sighed and rolled his eyes. This was getting a little too sappy for his liking. Suddenly Oliver appeared behind him, saying, "Mommy, I done."

Linette smiled wider and waved him over. "Let's see what you drew!" Oliver padded over, his tiny stocking-feet making no noise on the tile. He placed one drawing in front of Linette, another in Sam's lap, and surprisingly, one in front of Dean. Dean looked down at the crayon drawing and faltered.

In black crayon was what he assumed was his car, with a brown stick man in the front seat. There were trees and a road and in a different corner there was another person. The rest of the picture was actually kind of cute, but the unidentified stick person, a closer look told him it was a girl, was what made his hair stand up. The girl was surrounded by red, her body bent at an awkward angle. Dean was almost positive that that was something one didn't normally see in the drawing of a child.


	7. Chapter 7

Dean took a deep breath and folded the drawing to put it in his pocket. He'd have to do some research, and by research, he meant talking to Cass. Staring over the table he gazed at the other two drawings. The one Oliver had given to Sam was happy, with a smiling sun and a house that Dean assumed was supposed to be the one they were currently in. One stick figure was obviously Sam, the others Oliver and Linette, and Sam and Linette were drawn holding hands. The interesting thing about this picture though, was the odd pink lines around the two holding hands.

"That must be the glow that Oliver was talking about, only it appears that Sam has it too." Dean smirked as Linette lifted Oliver into her lap.

Sam rolled his eyes, fighting the smile that threatened to show. "It's crazy how kids can sense that sort of thing!"

Dean sat back in his chair, running a hand over his head. "Yeah, real crazy."

"What did Oliver draw you?" Linette looked genuinely interested, but Dean didn't want to worry anyone so he lied a little.

"He drew me driving the Impala."

"That was sweet of him!"

Dean tried not to grimace as he smiled, "real sweet. What did he draw you?"

Linette handed him the last drawing, "It's Oliver and I and the lady who lives downstairs. He calls her Grandma." Oliver put his sippy-cup onto the table and slid from Linette's lap.

"I wan' see Gramma!"

Linette laughed, "Maybe later, sweetheart." She then stood and went to the refrigerator. "I think dinner is going to have to be postponed boys, it's getting late." Sam and Dean looked at the clock on the microwave; 7:50 PM. "Shall we have lunch tomorrow instead?"

Sam stood, smiling, "Sure. Lunch sounds great! Where should we meet?"

Linette thought for a moment. "I don't work tomorrow, so I'll be here with Oliver, but I do have some errands to run… How about we meet at that diner on Eighth and Teller? Around one o'clock, say?"

Sam grinned, "Perfect! So we'll see you tomorrow then?" He took one of her tiny hands in both of his.

Linette blushed, smiling. "Yes, I'll see you tomorrow. Don't get into too much trouble within that time! I'd hate to bail you out of jail on your second day in town!" She laughed and Dean smirked. He really did like her. He just hoped that she wasn't a witch, like he half suspected; he'd seen fewer plants in a greenhouse, and all of those unmarked bottles and jars were making him even more suspicious.

Dean smiled at her before turning to look down at Oliver. He'd been watching quietly as Dan and his brother had risen from their seats, his thumb in his mouth again. Dean crouched down in front of the small boy, putting out his hand. "You know kid," he said, smirking. "For being abnormally creepy at times, you're really kind of adorable. I hope you and I can get along in the future…" Dean ran his outstretched hand through his hair when Oliver didn't move.

Suddenly, an idea came to him and he looked over his shoulder at Sam and Linette. They were still saying their sickeningly cute goodbyes, so Dean pulled out the drawing from his pocket and unfolded it. He pointed to the crooked girl and said, "Do you know who this is?"

Oliver's eyes narrowed slightly before he spoke around his thumb. "She good." Dean nodded, but before he could say anything else, Oliver dropped his hand from his mouth with a pop. He pointed to the girl and said, "Billy." Then he pointed to Dean's chest, directly over his heart. "Billy yours."

If Dean was creeped out by this kid before, he was now terrified out of his mind. There was something really off about this kid and the sooner he could talk to Sam about it in private the better, preferably in the presence of Cass. Dean stood and said thanks to the boy before telling Linette thanks and goodbye as he walked out of the door and down the stairs.

Sam kissed Linette one last time before waving goodbye to Oliver and following after his brother. He was starting to get a little worried; Dean had been acting strange ever since he'd had that lemonade. Sam mentally shrugged. Sometimes, you never really knew what was what with Dean. He sighed as he climbed into the Impala, careful not to hit his head on the door frame. "Everything OK?"

Dean looked over at his brother and took a deep breath. "Yeah… Yeah everything's just peachy." He handed the drawing to Sam and started up the car. "If you'd call a death predicted by a psychic two year old 'peachy'."

"He predicted someone's death? How do you know that?"

"Are you not looking at that drawing?! There's a girl in the corner that looks like her back's been broken in half, lying in a puddle of what appears to be her own blood. What kind of two year old draws that sort of thing? And in such detail!" Dean rubbed at his chin as he pulled into their motel parking space. He turned off the ignition and got out, closing the door gently behind him. "And not only that, he told me the girl's name is Billy, and that she's a good guy and somehow belongs to me."

Sam followed Dean into their room and tossed his jacket onto his bed. "That's strange, but kids say strange things all the time; you can't seriously believe that there's something up with him, do you?"

Dean flopped backwards onto his bed, running his hands over his face in thought. "I don't know man, but whatever this is, it's giving me the willies and I have no idea why."

"So you're not normally afraid of creepy two year olds that predict the death of a future girlfriend?" Sam was smirking, but Dean only glared at him.

"This isn't funny! This may be just one more thing that's tied into this case. Hell, for all we know, this kid could tell us what this thing is."

"You, skeptic of all psychics and prophets, thinks that a two year old that draws abnormally well can tell us what it is we're hunting?"

"We've dealt with weirder."

"True. But Oliver isn't a psychic."

"And how do you know that?"

"…"

"Exactly, we don't, so let's call Cass, just to be sure and so that he can summon that cupid thing and then we can move on." At Sam's look of incredulity, Dean put up a hand. "I just want a third opinion, one that actually has two feet in that world instead of our single toe."

Sam sighed. "Fine. But I'm starving. I'm going to the burger place down the street, do you want anything?" He stood and put his coat back on.

"Bacon cheeseburger and a coke."

"Got it."

"Thanks."

"No problem." Sam walked out, shutting the door behind him with a soft click. Dean immediately sat up and started to call Cass.

"Castiel… Cass, man, we need an angel's opinion on something." Dean waited a few seconds, looking around the room. Sighing when he didn't see the trench-coated angel, he laid back on the bed, only to be startled by a gruff voice.

"You called?" Castiel was sitting in one of the kitchen chairs, his appearance as rumpled as ever.

"Cass…" Dean was silent for a moment, staring at the newly occupied space before starting and closing his dropped jaw. "Will I ever get used to that?"

Cass' head cocked to one side. "I'm not sure what you mean."

"Uh, never mind… You, uh, know anything about the little Cupid running around these parts?"

"Another Cupid? I didn't know, but I can find it if you need to question it." Cass started to get up but Dean waved for him to sit.

"Thanks, but that can wait. What I really want to know is if you know anything about this little boy named Oliver McGuffrey."

"I can't say I do… But again, I can ask around for information. Why?"

Dean paused, contemplating whether or not he wanted to tell the angel the truth. In the end, he pulled out the drawing and handed it to Cass. "Oliver drew me this."

Cass took the paper and turned it this way and that before looking up at Dean. "What's so wrong about a child's drawing?"

Dean rolled his eyes. "Look at the bottom right corner. See anything unusual?"

"I see a dead girl."

"…"

"Oh." Cass ran a finger over the drawing of the girl. "I see why that would cause worry."

"Yeah… He also told me the girl's name, as well as who she belongs to?"

"Belongs to?" Cass handed Dean the drawing. "I thought humans couldn't belong to other humans unless they were slaves."

"Well, I don't know how this chick belongs to me, but her first name is Billie."

"Billie? Are you sure she's a female?"

"Oliver said so. The drawing even has her wearing a bow in her hair, so I'd say she was female."

"I see… Well, I'll see what I can find. Do you still want to question the Cupid?"

"Sure. Just bring him here, but make sure he knows that I just want to talk." Cass nodded and disappeared with the flutter of feathers.


End file.
